12th November, 2019
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has run into hitches in getting Nigeria’s former petroleum minister, Diezani Alison-Madueke extradited to the country from the United Kingdom, where she had sought refuge since 2015.
Counsel to the EFCC Faruk Abdullah revealed this on Tuesday at the hearing of the money laundering charge filed against Diezani at a Federal High Court in Abuja.
Abdullah pleaded with Justice Ijeoma Ojukwu to adjourn the indefinitely on the grounds that the EFCC was facing challenges in its bid to extradite the defendant.
Abdullah told Justice Ojukwu that given the circumstances, it would be better for the case to be adjourned indefinitely so that it would not continue to “clog” the court’s docket.
Reacting, the judge said: “My docket is not going to be a waiting room for the prosecution.
“I will give you one more adjournment. If nothing happens on the next date, I will strike it out,” the judge warned.
The judge, in her ruling, adjourned the matter till March 10 “for report or striking out.”
Before adjourning the case, she gave the EFCC an ultimatum to produce Diezani before the date.
The EFCC had, on November 11, 2018, filed 13 counts of money laundering against the ex-minister.
The anti-graft agency accused her of unlawfully taking into her possession the sums of $39.7 million and N3.32 billion with which she allegedly bought choice property in Abuja, Lagos and Port Harcourt in Rivers State while she was in office.
The EFCC, which filed the suit in November 2018, had said that Diezani ought to have known that the money formed part of the proceeds of unlawful activities.
She was said to have purchased choice landed assets with the money using different fronts as the owners.
In September 2013, she allegedly used the name of Rusimpex Limited to acquire a property named Block B3 comprising of six penthouses and 18 flats at Zone N Federal Government Layout, also known as Bella Vista Estate, Banana Island, Ikoyi, Lagos, with the sum of $37.5m.
On June 4, 2012, she was said to have used the name of Azinga Meados Limited to buy 13 three-bedroom terrace houses with one room maids’ quarters at Mabushi Gardens Estate, Abuja, with the sum of N650m.
In May 2012, she allegedly used the name of chapel properties to buy eight four-bedroom terrace houses, two three-bedroom penthouses, six three-bedrooms apartments, two three-bedrooms Mansionette, two-bedroom apartments, one four-bedroom apartment at No. 4/6 Thorbun Avenue, and No 5 Raymond Street, Yaba, Lagos, with N937m.
She was also said to have in May 2012, purchased in the name of Blue Nile Estate Limited, 16 four-bedroom terrace houses at Plot 2C, Omerelu Street Diabu GRA, Port Harcourt Rivers State, with N928m.
She was also said to have in January 2011 bought in the name of Vista Point Company Limited, six flats of three-bedrooms with one boys’ quarters each, lawn tennis court, Gym, garden and appurtenances, at 135 Awolowo Road/Bourdillon Road, Ikoyi, Lagos, with N805m.
The ex-minster was also said to have in December 2011, bought in the name of Sequoyah Properties Limited, a property at 12, Forces Avenue, Old GRA, Port Harcourt measuring 4,890 square meters with $2.2m.
Her alleged offences which she was said to have committed between November 20, 2011 and September 2013 were said to be contrary to Section 15(2), (d) of the Money Laundering Act, 2011, as amended in 2012 and punishable under Section 15(3) of the same Act